Steering head for velocipedes



Feb, 13, 1923. I 1,444,774

. C. W. BENNETT STEERING HEAD FOR VELOG IPEDES Filed Mar. 8, 1921 llVl/E/VTOR I Clarence W. BenncTT.

41 ATTORNEY I have invented certain new and provements 1n Steering .rieads Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

one starts CLARENCE W. BENNETT, OF'NEW YORK, N. Y.

' s rnnnrne nnnn non vnrocirnnns.

Application filed March 8,1921. Serial No. 450,726.

To all whom it may concern:

IJETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at llt West 7 9th Street New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,

for -Veloci pedes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved steering head for a childs veloclpede and has reference more particularly to the construction and design of such a steering head which may be cast in one piece of material.

T he invention has for, its main object to improve and simplify the construction of steering heads now used to unite and control the'steering mechanism of a. velocipede.

In the construction of steering heads of this character, it is a well known expedient to provide abuilt up device comprising several members united to form a compact steering unit but it has also been found that the number of parts and the cost of assembling them involves considerable expense. in order to overcome this objection the present invention contemplates the provision of a steering head constructed of one piece of material, cast in approximately its proper shape, and capable of being I employed to couple the main frame and the steering fork of a velocipede without sacrificing either strength or durability.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means included in the design of the steering head whereby the stem of the handle-bar support may be used as the steering post.

The invention consists in the features and combination of elements hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a velocipede having the one piece steering head incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is a substantially vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the relative position of the steering head, side frame and steering post. i

Fig. 3 is a sectional *iew taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. a is a perspective. view of the one. piece steering head before the fork blades have been attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a substantially vertical sectional useful Imview of a sligthly modified form of the steering head and the steering post which is used as the fulcrum for the steering mechanism.

Referring to the drawing 10' denotes: the two downwardly and rearwardly extending side pieces having suitable members at their lower ends adapted to receive the rear axle 11 supported upon the wheels 12' A seat 13 is supported between the inner sides of the side pieces 10 and may be of any of the well known types now in use. Tne'opposite ends of the side pieces 10 are connected with a sleeve 14; having its ends folded together .in flat engagement, as shownat 15, and pro vided with a tubular portion 16 adzuoted to receive the steering post in the usual manner. The tubular portion 16, before referred to, is partially embraced by a steering head 1.7 in such a manner that an arcuatemovement. of 180' degrees is possible for the sleeve 14. This is accomplished byproviding the cylin-' drical portion of the steering head with an open side 18 of sufficient height to loosely embrace the tubular portion 16 and to per mit the central openings 19 in the upper and lower walls 20 and 21 respectively-to register with the bore of the portion 16. Aisteering post 24, the latter in the present instance being the stem. of the handle-bar support 25, is adapted to be inserted into the upper opening 19 and through the bore of the sleeve 14; into the lower opening 19. The stem or steering post 24 may be sufficiently long to pro ect considerably beyond the under face I upper wall 20 and is adapted to bear against the adjacent surface of the steering post 24: so that the latter a when rotated will also move the steering head 17. Depending from the lower wall 21 are two diverging arms 26. The fork members 27 are suitably secured at their upper ends as for instanceby means of rivets, to the depending arms 26 and are sup ported at their opposite ends by the front wheel 28.

In Fig. 5 the steering head 17 has been slightly modified to include a lug 29 depending from the under side of the lower wall 21 adjacent the central opening 19 therein and provided with a transversely disposed opening 30. The diameter of the end of the steering post 24 is reduced, as at 31, to provide a shoulder 32 thereon, adapted to seat against the inner face of the Wall 21. In this constructionthe opening 19in the wall 141 is of smaller diameter than the opening 19 in the upper wall 20. The portion 31 of the steering post 24 is provided with counter openings 32 which may be registered with the opening 30 by moving the post '24 axially. A cotter pin 33 maybe introduced into the opening 30 and into the opening 32 brought in register with the former, H I H In the assembling of the present steering head, sleeve 14; and handle-bar supportstem 2e, to provide an eiflicie ntly operated steering mechanism for a velocipede, it will be assinned that the side pieces 10 have been properly riveted together about the portion 15 of the sleeve 14:; and the'jforh' inenibershave been secured to the depending arrns QGas be fore described. The several elements of the velocipede should then be ready to be as seinbled as follows: i

lubular portion 16 is inserted into the opening 18 until the bore of the former is in register with the openings 19 in the walls 20 and 21 respectively, The stem 2 is then inserted into this opening until the desired height required for the h andle-bars has been reached whereupon the set screw 26 is tight ened down against the stem 2% as shown in Fig. 2.

sition and tl'ien again tightening screw 26.

In the modified form the cotter pin 33 is withdrawn, the-"post raised or lowered and after the desired height adjustment has been effected the cotter pin isi'n'serted into'the appro-prfiate' openii'ig 32'.

I m: 4 in .1 i e I In a velocip'e'de, the co-r'nbinationwith a frame having a tubula fp ortion, "of a steer ing head co n prising a finember; having fa recessed lateral wall and end walls provided with aligned openin s; the "end wall of said steering head being adapted to enibracethe ends thetubular portion of thegsaid frame, and a steering postadjustablein saidalig'ned openings ofthe'end walls oi the steering head and tubular portion of the 'frameQthe said steering postbeing adapted "to be rotated, with the steer ng head and having the tubular portiono'f the frame as a bearing therefor. p .v v i In testimony whereof I afiiX ni'y signature.

CLAR NCE WJBENNET T.

screw 26, moving the L 

